Donna Leola Taylor

Donna Taylor of Pine City passed away Sunday, January 14, 2024 at Welia Hospital in Mora at the age of 80.

Donna Leola Alexander was born January 13, 1944 to father Carl Alexander and mother Audrey (Franke) Alexander in Los Angeles, California.

Growing up, Donna was an "Air Force brat" traveling all over the United States. She graduated from high school and from the Pasadena City College in Pasadena, California. From there she met and fell in love with the man who stole her heart, Ron Taylor. They were married on May 15, 1966. Together, they managed an apartment building and she worked at Hughes Aircraft. She loved to go sailing whenever they could get out on the weekends.

They eventually moved to Dayton, Ohio where their daughter Theresa was born. About a year later, missing California, they moved back to Garden Grove.  In 1977, they decided to travel throughout the United States until they found a place to call "home”. During this time Donna home schooled the kids. Lessons included spelling every single state, town, and capital they went through along with many other things they needed to learn. Once in Pine City, they decided they would call it home.

Donna worked at the license center for many years before she became the store manager for Lake Office Supply. Then she was a route sales person for the same company, selling their office products to over five different counties. She really loved that job up until it was time to retire and stay home to take care of her husband, Ron, until his passing in 2000. In 2001, she moved to San Diego, California to be a caregiver to her step-father Richard and mother Audrey until they passed away in 2013 and 2018.

In 2019, Donna was diagnosed with dementia, she wanted and needed to come back home to be with her family.

She loved gardening, reading books, completing crosswords puzzles, and playing electronic solitaire games. She especially enjoyed playing with all her grand and great-grandkids when they came over to visit.

Donna is survived by daughter Theresa (Bill) Davis of Pine City; son George (Gina) Taylor of Ohio; grandchildren Jonathan Larson, Brittani Larson (Chris), Dalton (Amanda) Davis, Michael Larson (Autumn), and Nikita Davis (Rick); great-grandchildren Audrianna, Lennox, and Creed Bean, Sage Buirge, Liza, Rayna and Lane Davis, Gianna and Madelyn Larson, Braxton Barnes, Tori and Remington Davis; siblings Carla (Wayne) Surenok of Washington and Alan Bornholdt of Utah; nephews Joshua (Sara) Surenok and David Surenok; niece Corie Bornholdt; other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her step-father and mother Richard and Audrey Bornholdt; husband Ron Taylor; great-grandson Ryker Ryan Bean.

 Graveside services for Donna:  3:30 PM; Wednesday (5/29) at Birchwood Cemetery in Pine City. 

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the:  Funeral and Cremation Service of Pine City ~ Swanson Chapel
www.FuneralAndCremationService.com